7 Mile Fragrance
by Silver Sea Mist
Summary: She escaped in a hurry; she thought calming down was thoroughly impossible. Until her anger was replaced with genuine surprise by someone. Tohno. In that moment, she couldn't find her voice. When she did, it came out barely above a whisper, barely audible. But he heard her. He always heard what she said. "Takaki-kun?"
1. End

**7 Mile Fragrance**

_Chapter One:_

The ceiling was painted a light calm blue; a sharp contrast to what she was feeling. Akari uncoiled herself from where she was sitting, slumped dejectedly against the wall, reminiscing on past memories.

She stood up; her lips that were used to smiling were set into a thin, angry line and scanned the room as if she was searching for something. Akari grabbed her white duffle bag and pulled open the doors of her maghony colored closets. She pawed through the clothes, snatching random shirts and pants off the racks and stuffing it mercilessly into her bag. Letting out a sharp, exasperated breath, she turned abruptly and swiftly snatched her car keys off the dresser, all the while pushing the straps of her bag up her shoulders as if she was just casually swinging her purse upon her shoulder blades.

She couldn't, was not able to concentrate if she stayed in the apartment any longer.

Akari slipped on her white high heels and a blue jacket. She paused at the door and learned her ear against it. She could faintly, barely make out the sounds of heavy breathing. _He _was still there. Yuuchi was still there.

Bracing herself for any attempts that Yuuchi would make on his behalf, she opened the door and it hung loosely ajar. It took all her willpower to not fling the door open violently and shatter it to pieces as much as she would have loved to do so. As she had guessed, Yuuchi started as soon as the door creaked, signaling her wish of departure.

"Akari? I didn't mean for you to find out." He looked so sorry that Akari almost believed him. _Almost._

She bit down on her lip to stop the stream of insults waiting to burst from her mouth. Instead, Akari managed a sharp, cold reply that even caught her off guard by its cruelty. "So you didn't want me to know? You wanted to keep me in the cold, to tell me that we were moving to the United States… the day we were moving? Did you honestly believe that I would have followed you even if you sprung this on me at the last-minute? I don't think that I'll be able to trust you anymore."

"Akari…" He made a grasping motion in the air as if just doing that would make Akari stay.

She jabbed the "down" button on the elevator angrily. "Don't touch me," she hissed cruelly. Yuuchi shrank back automatically.

"The wedding is tomorrow, Akari. Everyone's going to be there. Don't do this to me. Stay, please."

Akari managed a sad, little smile. Her tone was laced with sarcasm as she spoke. "That's such a nice timing to say that, the wedding is tomorrow. Look at me and see if I really care or not. Go ahead and embarrass yourself tomorrow when you tell them that the wedding is never happening." But she really did care, deep down inside. Weddings were supposed to be a special day, weren't they? She had looked forward to this day for a long time... but now it seemed like it wouldn't be happening. The elevator opened with a soft noise and Akari stepped into it. "And oh, don't go looking for me," she added softly.

Leaving Yuuchi mute and shutting off any contact with him, the elevator doors closed tightly. Her last image of Yuuchi was him standing in front of the apartment door, looking at her in disbelief, as if she was a totally different person. Maybe she was. She was certainly angry now and anger can morph people until they're beyond recognition. Her sarcastic and dry composure broke the second she stepped into the elevator. She titled her head, to look at the glass ceiling and to see her reflection. Her eyes were beginning to tear and she looked on the verge of shattering into thousands of pieces.

No. This wouldn't do. She was going to be out in public the second she stepped out of this elevator. And wouldn't a crying young woman be an interesting sight?

She dug her nails deep into her hand to make it easier for her to regain her composure. The elevator was signaling that it was coming to a stop and the metal elevator doors soon sprung away from each other. Keeping her eyes toward the ground, Akari moved out. In her haste, she bumped into an elderly woman trying to shuffle inside the elevator. Murmuring a quick "sumimasen," she walked briskly through the front lobby and pushed the entrance door open just enough to let her slim figure slip through.

With no exact destination in mind, Akari set forward mindlessly until she realized that she was heading towards the park. She settled on a wooden park bench and pondered on her current options. She could go to her parent's house and stay there for a while; too much curiosity though. Then, again, there was always the suggestion of returning back to the apartment... as much as it was the perfect choice to make, it was something Akari was _not _willing to do. After a brief moment, the answer came flying to her head; she was surely welcome at her best friend Mizuki's house, wasn't she?

Impelling herself upwards, Akari made her way down to the train crossing. If she remembered correctly... then Mizuki lived a few street down on the other side of the train crossing. She silently prayed she wasn't heading the wrong way.

As she neared the train crossing, the stop light switched from yellow to a deep shade a red, played a little jingle of high and low notes, and then the bars dropped a ninety degree angle. Akari felt the train before she even saw it. The deep rumbling sent vibrations jolting from her feet and up. As she stood waiting for the train to pass, just listening to the clang of the train wheels colliding with the tracks, it sparked a memory of someone. Who that someone was...she couldn't pinpoint exactly who.

The rumbling subsided, motioning the pass of the train, and the bar that prevented Akari from crossing lifted. The sense that something _had _happened here was increasing, rising to the point where she wanted to stop and think.

But there was no time for thinking. Thinking would only mean pain. She had to keep on moving.

A few seconds after she was on the other side, the bar swung down and another train slowly passed by. Akari wasn't sure why, but she had stopped there, frozen in place for a while. The wind blew her brown hair to the right. Her bag almost slipped from her shoulders and she pushed it back up, holding it secure with one hand. Time seemed to slow down as pink petals from nearby flowers hanging above, cascaded and floated down to the floor beneath Akari's feet. She forced her legs to keep moving.

* * *

There was so much hustle and bustle in Tokyo. After all, it was the capital of Japan. Nestled near the heart of all the noise, tucked away between towering skyscrapers was a park; it was a strange place for a park to be in. A pale pink poster was tacked to a bulletin board outside the fences of the park welcoming all visitors to the annual Cherry Blossoms Festival.

Akari was supposed to head towards Mizuki's place, but she felt instinctively drawn to this park. Besides, it wouldn't hurt just to take a stroll to clear off her mind, right?

The park was indeed beautiful. Cherry blossom trees adorned the entire place with a few batches of maples and birches here and there. Towards the middle, an undisturbed lake only accommodating koi fishes circling one another was present. A sweet, strong scent was in the air, strangely reminding Akari of springtime and the past.

Akari stared longingly at other couples laughing. With an abrupt jolt, she realized that she and Yuuchi planned to picnic here today. She smiled grimly. Seems like that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon. Staring at the others was painful. It reminded her too much of the good times she had with Yuuchi. The miracle of the past, seemed very much like a fantasy right now. She faintly wondered if Yuuchi was watching her from somewhere, quietly debating whether or not to approach her. Probably not. He had too much pride, his fatal flaw, as was Akari's as well.

"...Akari?"

The voice sounded familiar. _Too familiar. _Familiar to the point where her heat was slamming painfully against her rib cage.

She twisted her body around. The voice had come from behind her. A man with dark brown hair falling carelessly in front of his face was standing in front of her. In that moment, she couldn't find her voice. When she did, it came out barely above a whisper, barely audible.

But he heard her. He always heard what she said.

"Takaki-kun?"

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

(1) The wedding was supposedly somewhere in the winter since Akari was talking about how she would be seeing her parents next month and that there would be no need for her to stay until New Year's. Note how everyone was wearing heavy coats and scarves. (Manga)

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Thank you so much for reading! There's probably a ton of things that are wrong with my writing (like grammar), but please bear with me.

I haven't written in a long time, but decided to pick up writing once again after watching "5 Centimeters Per Second," which by the way, is such a heartwarming and realistic anime... I feel like I'm going to start ranting again...


	2. Reunion

_Chapter Two: _

Tohno hadn't planned to meet anyone today. Desperately needing to clear his mind, he had headed to the park in hopes of doing so. Slipping on a light brown jacket, he proceeded to find his way around the city, not even bothering to stop by the mirror in the bathroom to check his appearance. He certainly valued his sanity more than his looks.

It was a fresh spring day and he had every bit of intention to enjoy this day as much as he could. He couldn't help, but think of Akari. He was sure that he had seen her at the train crossing on that day. Ever since that day, he replayed those brief moments in his head. She had seemed preoccupied; she must have been happy. Did she discreetly turn around and try to look at him? Had she?

But the train had come then, blocking his view of Akari.

* * *

Walking around the park was quite peaceful. Yes, the sound of the city was still in the background; the chatter of pedestrians, the squeaking of impatient cars ready to take off once the stoplight changed colors, and the ringing of a cell phone occasionally, but those noises became so much a part of life that Tohno didn't mind them. The noises faded into the distance as he went deeper into the park.

The park was breathtaking. This thought had crossed his mind quite a few times before. Not for the first time, he wondered when he started to think of everything in life as beautiful. People have said that in times of trouble, you learn to appreciate the little things. Was he in trouble then?

He was walking along the outskirts of the park when he found Kanae. She was sitting stiffly at the end of a park bench, her palms flat down, pressing onto her thighs hard. Her head faced the ground, but her eyes were closed; though Tohno found it a bit difficult to tell with Kanae's black hair partially covering her face.

At least he thought it was Kanae. She looked like Kanae. Except Kanae was usually cheerful and attacked the world head on. The young lady perched on the bench seemed defeated. It couldn't possibly be Kanae, right? Curiosity evoked, Tohno stopped short.

The person must have heard his footsteps stopping for she looked up. He knew it was Kanae then. Eyes widening in shock, she quickly stood up, her mouth already opening to form words. "I-I...I've been... Tohno-kun..."

She had always been bashful. He recalled that fact from the various walks they had together on the way home. Their walks were usually silent and their talks, restricted. Often, they had only talked when they stopped to purchase a drink at the convenience store.

He had never minded her company before. Perhaps this was a good opportunity to catch up on the past? Maybe this was what he needed; a nice, simple chat.

Tohno gave her a smile and gestured for her to come over to him. "Let's enjoy a walk around the park seeing that you are already here."

Kanae hastily brushed off some fallen maple leaves off of her collared jacket while running to meet Tohno. Hands tucked into the side pockets of his pants, Tohno turned to face the path again when Kanae was next to him. He took notice of her hands clasped tightly behind her back.

The silence grew as no words were exchanged between them for a few minutes. Tohno kept his eyes steadily on the road and Kanae was doing her best to look at anything, but him. Finally, she was the one breaking the silence. "How... has your life been?"

His reply was brief. "Interesting. How about yours, Kanae? Are you living in the city now?" The topic was abruptly switched back to her. Tohno hadn't changed then. He was still nice to her, but it was the same as back then. His eyes were still looking past her and into the horizon. Hadn't he finally reached his goal yet?

Even despite the obvious fact that the conversation was taking on the feeling of a polite and a small conversation, his niceness still touched Kanae's heart. He was making it impossible for her to get over him. Ironically, Kanae had traveled to Tokyo to find Tohno in order to find some way to get over Tohno and to attain true happiness...

"Kanae?" His voice immediately snapped her back into reality.

"Oh, sorry." She smiled apologetically. Avoiding the first question, she chose to answer the latter one. "No, I'm just going to be staying in the city for a little while."

She secretly wished that he wouldn't ask "why" because she didn't have the answer to that herself. Her goal was accomplished. She had somehow found Tohno in Tokyo, but her plan only went that far. She hadn't really thought about what she would do once she had found Tohno.

"I see," was his response.

For reasons unknown, Tohno was hurrying ahead of her, his pace increasing rapidly. Pausing for a second to tell her that he needed to do something, he forged on ahead.

Her arm automatically reached out to grab the end of his shirt. "Wait!" Kanae dropped her hand, embarrassed when Tohno looked over his shoulder. Her face flushed crimson red when Tohno waited for her to finish. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be back soon. I won't be going far." He was straining to see something; his eyes were focused on something down the path. He didn't even wait for Kanae's response when he left.

_Wait... Don't leave._ She had wanted to say that. This behavior was entirely new on Tohno's part, but Kanae was more worried about losing him again than the odd behavior. He seemed to disappear in the mass of people, leaving Kanae confused on whether or not to continue standing there or to try to look for him. After a minute of indecision, Kanae squirmed her way through the crowd of people and started to look for Tohno.

It didn't take long to find Tohno again. He was standing, transfixed, a street away from where they were before. Relieved, Kanae began running to him, almost tripping over herself in the process. All the while, she was shouting his name and waving her hand wildly. She slowed down once she was directly behind him. "Tohno-kun, why are you standing so still-"

Kanae stopped in mid-sentence, her words lapsing into silence. In front of her and Tohno was a slim woman wearing a light, pink dress, with a blue jacket over that dress. In her hands, was clutched a white duffle bag. She was definitely pretty with her dark brown hair reaching just beneath her shoulders; her pale, smooth skin; and her slim composure. She was taller than Kanae even without the white heels that she was wearing, and she nearly reached Tohno's height.

Kanae felt like she was nothing in comparison to this woman. However, Kanae's presence seemed to break Tohno from his trance. "Oh, uh, Akari, this is Kanae. Kanae, this is my..." She noticed the hesitation in Tohno's voice. "This is my... childhood friend, Akari."

* * *

Kanae didn't know what to say. Awkwardly, she nodded.

The stranger, Akari had averted her eyes, but what she said next was directed towards Kanae. "Sorry, I think that I am wasting your time with Takaki. I'll be taking me leave now."

"No! That's alright. I mean, we're just friends. It's nothing like what you think it is." Kanae was blushing insanely.

"No, I understand." Akari readily turned around and was walking away at a quick speed.

Tohno said one word, but Kanae heard it. He had whispered the stranger's name nostalgically. So quickly, that Kanae didn't even realize he had moved, Tohno had grabbed Akari's hand. "At least give me your number, Akari..."

Startled, she wordlessly wrote her number on a piece of paper and handed it to Tohno. He reluctantly dropped her hand then. Strangely, Kanae's heart twisted when she saw them together.

* * *

It was oddly quiet when Tohno and Kanae walked out of the park. Before they parted, Kanae shyly gave him her phone number, which Tohno pocketed. In return, Tohno gave her his, but Kanae was sure that it was out of politeness did he do so. His mind seemed to be on Akari even as he parted with Kanae.

Upon returning to his apartment, Tohno slumped onto his couch and retrieved his phone and Akari's note from his pocket. Adding her number to his contact list, he contemplated on sending her a text. In the end, he resolved to type one out. It read:

_This is Takaki Tohno. _

He didn't know what else to say. How was she doing? She looked the same as she did that day on the train crossing. He desired to ask her if she had looked back that day, but he couldn't bring himself to. Feeling that what he wrote was insufficient, he added a "It's been a really long time," and pressed the button to send the text. It was the first text out of millions that he wanted to send to Akari and actually did so.

And they say that you never forget your first love.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

(1) Since some people have asked, Yuuchi is Akari's fiance or soon-to-be-husband-but-not-anymore. Yuuchi was not a character that was invented. Rather, he is mentioned in the manga.

(2) The first chapter was written based on what was happening to Akari. This chapter is mainly based on Tohno, although he meets Kanae, so it focuses on both of them for a little while in the chapter.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I apologize if this chapter was slightly confusing. At least I felt like it was. Sorry for the long wait!

I am immensely grateful to those who have viewed my story and have offered me support. You have no idea how happy those reviews made me.


	3. Memories

_Chapter Three:_

Her hair was wet and clinging stubbornly to the nape of her neck from the quick shower. Although she knew that she was welcome here, Akari still felt a bit troublesome, just crashing in for the night at Mizuki's place. Akari had her legs tucked comfortably under the kotatsu and outstretched her fingers until the warmth radiating from the kotatsu fled to her fingers gently. Sure, it was nice weather when the sun was out, but when the moon unwillingly replaced the sun, the sudden drop in temperature made everyone seek the cozy warmth of their homes.

She turned her head slightly so that instead of watching the bright screen of the television, she saw the streets of Tokyo. At this hour, there weren't quite as many cars... or people, for that matter. The congested streets from the daytime transformed into dark lanes under the soft glow of the overhead street lamps. A couple of people trailed the streets, lingering, as if reluctant to reach their destination. Still, Akari was surprised that anyone would be on the streets when it was already well past midnight; a quarter to one, to be precise.

Akari pried her eyes away from the window when she heard Mizuki's exasperated sigh as she entered the room, carrying a tray. "Shoot, some tea spilled again. It's a good thing I had the tray."

Mizuki placed the tray in front of Akari on the kotatsu. The tea in the mugs sloshed dangerously over to one side, threatening to spill over. Only when the rocking of the tea subsided, did Mizuki's eyes leave the tray and meet Akari's. Akari noted with a smile how genuinely concern Mizuki was over her. Mizuki knew from the moment she saw Akari at the apartment's main entrance that something had happened between her and Yuuchi, but instead of assaulting Akari with questions right there, Mizuki gave Akari what she desperately wanted and needed; time. Time to review her actions; time to comprehend the entire situation; and time to reassess her options.

* * *

Akari accepted the mug in Mizuki's hands gratefully. "It's a pretty night, isn't it?" She turned to look outside the window again at the blue tinted streets.

"You find everything pretty," Mizuki countered, a smile tugging at her lips. "Heck, I bet you find life pretty."

A thoughtful expression crossed Akari's face. "There is good in living. But no... I wouldn't call life pretty. It's more like very bittersweet." The word "bittersweet" ungratefully brought the memory of Yuuchi up and Akari felt a sharp pain deep inside her chest. She was still watching the streets when she saw a familiar figure round the street corner and enter the entrance to the building downstairs.

_Was that Yuuchi? It can't be. He would've looked for me earlier... if he even cares about my feelings, that is. _

A fleeting look of pain passed Akari's face. No, there was no way Yuuchi would be out this late at night. Of course, the most logical answer was that she was just hallucinating; her mind was giving her images of what she secretly wished for.

If anyone else was watching, they wouldn't have seen the pain in Akari's eyes, but Mizuki did. Troubled, Mizuki decided that Akari had enough time to reflect upon what had happened. "What's the matter? Yuuchi?"

Silently, Akari nodded. The pain seemed to intensify once she admitted to the cause of it. Clenching her right hand into a fist, she pressed it hard against her heart. The physical pain blocked out the one inside. "My heart hurts, Mizuki..."

"Your heart?" Mizuki had never experienced a heartache before. She was strictly against love, finding more comfort in closely knit friendships instead.

"Every time I breathe, I'm painfully aware of a sharp ache in my chest. It hurts so badly..." Akari was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

She got up to get the door, but was stopped by Mizuki. "Ah, you're the guest, Akari. Stay here while I get the door. I wonder who it can be, this late at night?"

* * *

Mizuki gasped when she saw the visitor outside her door. "Yuuchi?! What a surprise..."

Akari scrambled to her feet when she heard the name. _Thanks for the warning, _she silently thought as she slipped into the bathroom and flattened herself behind the back of the door. She watched the scene unfold; luckily, she had a fantastic view of the entrance even if it was through a narrow crack between the wall and the door.

Yuuchi laughed. "What is there to surprise? You must have known I was coming. Akari's here, right?"

Akari narrowed her eyes slightly. There was something different about Yuuchi. He seemed too... casual.

"She's not here." Mizuki crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly and leaned sideways, against the wall.

He smirked. "You're really bad at lying, Mizuki."

"What do you mean I'm lying? She's not here. What do you think you're doing-Hey!"

Forcefully, Yuuchi pushed past Mizuki and entered the apartment. His voice softened when he called out Akari's names countless times. Akari automatically stopped breathing when Yuuchi neared the bathroom; her breathing was too conspicuous in the silence of the room. She pressed herself firmly against the wall and even stood on her toes when Yuuchi paused and leaned into the bathroom door.

However, it seemed that Yuuchi was searching for the bathroom for another purpose. He lurched forward and spilled out all of his stomach's contents into the toilet. The stench seemed to fill the air instantly. Akari took a whiff and had a horrible realization; Yuuchi was... _drunk_.

This close proximity to Yuuchi combined with the caring aspect of her personality and the fact that he had succumbed to alcohol to lessen his emotional pain almost caused Akari to withdraw from her hiding place. She felt her heart beat increase when her body seemed to, out of her own will, move forward on its own to comfort Yuuchi. She felt herself wanting to wrap her arms around him, feel his familiar figure, and to believe that everything was okay.

At that moment, Mizuki arrived at the scene. With her furious eyes, irritated posture, and threatening words, Mizuki was the very embodiment of wrath herself. "How dare you enter my house without my permission?!"

Mizuki stopped short and sniffed the air. "It stinks of alcohol in here." Her eyes widened. "Have you been ...drinking? What would Akari say?"

Yuuchi ignored her question and reached for toilet paper, wrapping it around his hand, wiping his mouth, and then disposing of the paper in the trash can next to the toilet. He stood up from where he was doubled over.

Thinking that it was best to stay where she was, Akari remained behind the door. She had to strain her neck to continue watching Yuuchi.

"So, answer my question. Have you been drinking?"

"Akari's not here, right?" Instead of answering Mizuki's question, Yuuchi locked his arms around Mizuki's waist, pulled her extremely close to him, and tried to press his lips against hers. Predicting what was coming next, Mizuki raised her hand and sharply smacked his face, leaving an angry, bright red imprint of a hand behind.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Yuuchi?" She demanded, her right hand curling into a fist and punching him squarely in the chest. He stumbled back into the hallway, surprised. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" Mizuki was breathing heavily at this point. "Get. Out. Of. My. Apartment. You are definitely _not_ welcome here. Even if Akari was here, I'm sure she wouldn't want to see you or what you tried to do, you asshole."

Yuuchi was already standing outside the door, having backed out as soon as he felt Mizuki's punch. She promptly took the door by its handle and slammed it shut. "Great. Good riddance," she muttered, stalking back inside the apartment to find Akari.

* * *

Shocked for a minute, Akari didn't realize she was still holding in her breath. She finally exhaled and sucked in some air greedily. She hadn't realized that she was suffocating. There was no use dying over Yuuchi, anyway.

Mizuki entered the bathroom and flushed the toilet. "Damn Yuuchi. Stank up the whole place. Hey, Akari, where are you?"

Akari pushed the door in front of her to let herself out of the tight enclosure. "Right here." Her voice sounded strange in her own mouth. Was she still shocked, perhaps?

Mizuki jumped backwards slightly. "Right. Please don't scare me like that again." She gingerly placed a hand on Akari's shoulder. "Are you alright? I smacked him, you know. Sorry about that. I should've killed him instead for even trying that on me."

"Mmh, that's alright... At least you gave him a smack to remember." Akari grabbed her phone from the top of the kotatsu.

Mizuki raised her eyebrows. "What are you doing now? Calling Yuuchi? You're too good for him."

"No... I'm deleting his phone number from my list."

"Good girl. You're learning the way of being me," Mizuki jokingly said with a laugh. She plopped herself onto her black couch that was situated behind the kotatsu. "Let's just relax and watch the television. I don't think you'll be able to sleep tonight, anyway."

Wordlessly, Akari sat next to Mizuki on the couch. She deleted Yuuchi's number without any hesitation, but in the back of her mind, she faintly wondered if she was just acting rashly. Out of habit, she checked her inbox for new messages.

Surprisingly, there was no text from Yuuchi, but from... _Takaki?_

"What happened? You're just staring at your screen without saying anything. Don't tell me." Mizuki held her hand up to pause Akari from talking. "Yuuchi sent you a message? You can't blame the guy that much; he was after all, drunk."

"N-no. It's not Yuuchi," Akari stammered.

"Oh? Who is it then?" Mizuki was Akari's closest friend and knew that despite Akari's amiable and pleasant character, she never bothered to get her other friends' phone numbers. Were they even considered friends if they constantly talked negatively about Akari when she wasn't there? If anything, they were only acquaintances; acquaintances whom Akari didn't talk to unless she had to.

"It's from a childhood friend I met today."

"I see. How is she doing?"

"It's not a 'she...'"

"Oh?" This time, Mizuki's question was accompanied with a coy smile. "Who's this special guy from your childhood then?"

A delicate blush graced Akari's cheeks as she answered quietly, memories already flooding back to her. "Tohno Takaki."

"So, who is this 'Tohno Takaki' person to you?" Needless to say, Mizuki enjoyed tormenting Akari with questions like these; seriously, the girl was very easy to fluster.

"He's..." Akari struggled with an answer. Who was Takaki to her? A friend? They were closer than that. Her best friend? There had been something between them though, that was far more than a mere friendship... but she couldn't call it a relationship.

"He's what, Akari?"

_He's someone special._

_He was my first friend._

_He was who I spent all my schooldays with._

_He was my first kiss._

_He's who I missed for a long time._

_He's more than a memory._

She chose the safe option. "He's just a childhood friend," she firmly said. But the question was already securely lodged in her mind. Who was Takaki really?

Mizuki reached for her own mug. "Just a childhood friend," she quoted. "Sure. If I didn't know you any better, Akari, I could've sworn I saw you blushing."

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

(1) Right off the bat, I apologize if any of this sounds too out-of-character. I reasoned that since this fanfic will be set in modern times, that the characters would talk very modern-like as well; with harmless, provoking questions, a semi-casual tone, and behavior common to nowadays.

(2) Yuuchi is still Akari's fiance. However, like I have said, his status will change to ex-fiance very soon.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Again; sorry for the long wait! Thank you for taking the time to read this! Reviews are greatly appreciated, they have encouraged me all this time even when I thought I had other matters to attend to.


	4. Text

_Chapter Four:_

Tohno couldn't deny that he was waiting for Akari's reply. His cellphone was positioned on the right side of his futon, at a short distance so that his hand could easily reach it... if he had to, that is. With a slight frown, he realized that his phone was at an abnormal place, its usual residence was among the careless clutter on his small table. Staring idly up at the ceiling, his mind began to wander.

It first traveled to the thought of food. Tohno wasn't sure when he had last eaten. But as if that thought did not satisfy to torment his mind, it automatically switched to today, to Akari. Then his mind, satisfied that it had struck a nerve in Tohno's defensive barrier, started flipping eagerly through the pages of the past, turning, and turning until it reached his childhood.

* * *

There was a girl and a boy, alone in the school library. They both had the burden of allergies. Well, it wasn't really a burden in the end. After all, it was through this way, did this boy become close to the girl. They were both standing with their backs with each other, except at an angle, so if one started talking, the other could simply twist their body around to face the other and respond. He watched wistfully as the smaller of the two, the slightly shorter, brown-haired girl with wide, spirited eyes turned and tugged on the boy's sleeve, enthusiastically motioning for him to look at the library card that she was holding in her hand. The boy followed suit without a word of complaint; looking over the girl's shoulder despite the obvious blush settling on his cheeks. The boy was extremely aware of the fact that he was _extremely _close to the girl.

Closer than should be. Closer than normal. Close enough to feel the heat radiating from her body. Close enough to reach forward with a hesitating finger, poke her back gently, then claim it was a joke with a smile when she turned around.

But the boy didn't move away. Neither did the girl.

_-Flash Forward a Few Months-  
_  
The boy was clenching the phone tightly, pressing it to his ear, and the tightness started to hurt. He didn't want the girl's sweet voice to end though, so the phone remained where it was.

Disbelief was painted on the boy's face as he continued listening. "Huh? ...You're transferring schools?" He sat down on the tatami mat. "What about Nishi Middle School? You went through all that trouble to get accepted."

His eyes fell to the ground. "No... there's no reason to apologize."

Then somewhere inside his heart, he knew that the person on the other side of the line, the girl, was crying. It killed him to know that. He didn't want to continue hearing the catches in her usually, steady voice.

"I understand. You don't have to say anymore." He just didn't want to continue hearing her cry.

_-Flash Forward A Year-  
_  
The cold was seeping into his entire body. The absence of the sun, the pitch-black darkness of the sky didn't do any good to improve his deteriorating mood. The delay of train after train caused the boy to clench his directions tightly and check his watch more than necessary.

He was late. Would she still even be there, now that it was past the appointed time?

The growing teenager arrived at the train station that was supposed to be there meeting place. He didn't expect her to be there, but he saw her waiting, half asleep, in one of the chairs. Not seeing anything else but her, he walked until he was standing in front of her. She heard his footsteps and looked up, grabbing the hem of his coat. He saw that her shoulders were shaking, then realized it was because of joy.

Later on, they walked along the snowy path together, the girl running ahead of the boy, just like when they were children. And it was under a bare tree, laden with falling snow, did they share a kiss...

_...I thought I knew where her heart lay. _

* * *

And Tohno knew at that moment, the boy really loved the girl. Because he was that boy.

He had always longed for Akari, always wondered about her every now and then. She was never far from his mind.

His phone vibrated a bit, creating minuscule earthquakes. His hand automatically picked up the cellphone, flipping it open to the screen. It was only a reminder to pay his monthly phone bills. Cursing, he tossed the phone back onto the ground, not too gently.

He brought his right hand up to his forehead, massaging it. He had honestly thought it was a reply from Akari. What was he even doing? Was he lovesick?

Propping his arms on the futon, he propelled himself upwards from the futon. _Time for food,_ he thought. _Right, that will clear my mind. _Staggering to the white refrigerator, Tohno noticed for the first time that it was not exactly "well-stocked." Half a gallon of milk sat on one of the shelves, a couple of apples scattered on the shelf underneath, and his hopes raised up when he caught sight of a carton of eggs. He opened the carton only to discover a lone egg inside.

Scrambled eggs at midnight? Why not.

He set the frying pan on the stove. _I better start finding a new job soon. I can't continue to live like this. _

Tomorrow, he would look for one.

* * *

"She replied." He whispered the words to himself in disbelief.

_Takaki-kun, how have you been?_

He didn't know when he had fallen asleep. The small apartment was already bright with rays of daylight streaming in. But reading Akari's words first thing in the morning had a very nice feeling to it. He could still hear the little girl she once was in her words.

Tohno glanced at his digital clock, the numbers telling him that he had slept past noon. What a surprise; he usually had restless nights and pulled an all-nighter occasionally. Remembering that he had promised himself to look for a job today, Tohno poured himself a glass of milk and performed all his morning necessities. Then he grabbed his wallet, cell, and keys, and left the locked apartment behind.

When he was fully outside the apartment building, he was at a loss. How was he supposed to find a job? Tohno was quite sure that he couldn't just waltz into a random building and declare that a job be given to him "or else." Only psychopaths or delusional people do that. Furthermore, he'll wind up getting kicked out of the place instantly if he ever tried that.

As he stopped to take in his surroundings, he realized that the aroma of food cooking lured him to a food court in a mall. For the first time in many days, Tohno felt his appetite growing. He wondered if his will for living was returning back to him. Tohno's stomach growled at the sight of the food stores, but the limited amount of cash in his wallet suggested another option. He compromised. Maybe he'll settle for a drink.

The restaurant directly in front of him looked promising, not a horrible place, but not a classy five-star restaurant that he couldn't afford. In other words, just right. It was a traditional place with low tables and cushions for chairs. The space was small, but not to the point where everything was crowded. In a way, it was cozy and to Tohno's liking. Tohno opted for one of the single places in front of the chef.

"Say, boy, what's your order?" The chef was already eyeing him, a sharp knife held in his left head, ready to start preparing the dish. He was a middle-aged man, by the looks of the graying hairs along the side of his head. His eyes were kind. The small space and the existence of only the chef in this restaurant suggested that it was family owned.

"I'd like a cup of green tea," answered Tohno.

"Is that all?" The chef sadly dropped his knife. He was probably expecting to do some slicing or chopping with that knife of his.

Tohno thought for a second and was spurred on by the idea of more food. "Onigiri, too, if you can."

The chef turned around to brew the tea. He set a tea kettle upon the stove to boil the water. "What kind of filling do you want in it?"

"Anything."

Soon, a warm cup of tea was in Tohno's hands and a plate of onigiri was in front of him. The mystery meat inside the onigiri tasted surprisingly delicious; though, Tohno couldn't find the courage to ask the chef what was in it in fear that it was something that was better left unsaid.

When he was almost finished, Tohno had the sudden idea that _he_ could work at this restaurant. He watched as the chef waited on another person. Surely, the chef could use some help? A waiter?

Purposely, Tohno waited until the customer left until he asked his question. He stood up, pulling cash out of his wallet and placing it on the table. As the chef came to collect his payment, Tohno nervously stopped him.

"Grandfather, I-I've noticed that you work here alone?"

The chef stopped and turned to Tohno. "I own this shop." A fond expression crossed his face and passed quickly. "I used to have a son who helped out, but he's overseas now. He won't be coming back anytime soon." He turned to take Tohno's plate, assuming that Tohno's questions were answered.

However, Tohno wasn't quite done. "I'm just wondering, do you need any help?" Tohno rubbed his neck in embarrassment. _Great, I just made it sound like I think that he's weak. _"I mean. I was wondering... may I work here?"

The chef blinked his eyes twice. "You want to work here?"

"If I can, yes, sir."

"Then don't call me 'Grandfather.' I'm not that old yet." A smile played on the old man's lips. Tohno wondered if the chef was actually enjoying this conversation.

"Then what do I address you as... Sir?"

The old man pondered for a minute, turning the offer around in his head. "Come back tomorrow. I'll tell you then. First, what's your name, boy?"

"Tohno Takaki." The man nodded and Tohno bowed a respectable ninety degrees, leaving the shop without a backward glance.

The man watched him leave, his mouth unconsciously turning into a genuine smile. It had been a long time since he smiled like that. "Tohno Takaki... he reminds me a little of Daisuke. Ah, I wonder how that boy is doing."

* * *

The bright daylight outside the dim shop blinded Tohno the second he left his potential future job place, noting the banner saying "Tagawa's Family Food." He should have addressed the old man as "Mr. Tagawa," given the fact that Tagawa must be his surname. Shielding his eyes momentarily, he waited for the sudden pain to subside before lowering his hand and proceeding on with his slowly brightening life.

He was aimlessly walking when he spotted a young woman fleeing from somewhere, with her dark brown eyes focused on the ground, brown hair past the shoulder, a pink sweater on, the very same tint as...

Cherry blossoms. Akari. It was her.

Eyes widening, Tohno stood there, frozen in place in the crowd of moving people. He knew he wanted to reach out to her, to hear her sweet voice again, but would she like his entrance into her life again? Or was his entrance unwelcome? He lost his sight of Akari as the crowd moved, blocking his view of her. Before he knew it, he was already walking briskly, his brisk pace making way to a run as he once again caught sight of her. His heart sped up as he closed the distance between them, trying to as politely as possible, push pass the mass of people in the court. Murmuring apologies every time he had to separate a group of people, his hands finally clenched the fleeing young woman's shoulder.

He just knew it was Akari. The feeling of being with her felt so familiar that Tohno didn't have to worry about the possibility of clenching the shoulder of a random Akari look-alike.

Startled, the woman turned around. "Takaki-kun?" She tried to muster a smile. "What are you doing here?"

Tohno was concerned to see tears brimming in her eyes. Coincidentally, he ignored her question. "Akari, what happened?"

"I... Yuuchi just... It's nothing-" Her voice faltered as the tears fell, wetting her dry cheeks.

The sight reminded Tohno of the past when he heard Akari crying over the phone. Though, the pain was a thousand times worse as he watched her try and stop her tears, her head bowing down in hopes of having her hair hide her face and mortification. Except, back then, distance separated them. Right now, she was in front of him. He couldn't comfort her back then, but he could right now.

He reached out, wrapping his arms around Akari's shoulder, and pulling her to him. "I understand. It's okay. You don't have to say anymore," he whispered.

Tohno felt her start to relax as he hid her from the puzzled flashes of passing onlookers. Even her form was so familiar yet foreign at the same time. The feeling was the same as when he was younger, clearing out his room, and stumbling upon an old favorite book of his. The words he memorized by heart, the pages had gotten dusty through the years of neglect, but the words were the same... the words he so dearly remembered.

"I know Akari's pretty and practically single, but you can't just hug her. So get your hands off her."

A skinny woman clothed in black jeans and a denim jacket stopped in front of Tohno. With her head tilted at an angle, her raised eyebrows, menacing eyes, she looked like she wanted to murder him. Literally.

"Or do you want me to do it for you?"

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

(1) Mizuki, as you can see, is very much like that upbeat and protective friend.

(2) Tohno wants to find a job and so he followed the line of reasoning that he could have a restaurant job while he searches for a suitable job. If you're wondering what "Tagawa" means, the definition is "rice paddy river."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I'm very horrible at creating usernames and naming things. By the same reasoning, I'm horrible at creating names for restaurants. I thought that since the shop is family owned, it wouldn't have a flashy name, but would probably include the surname of the owner.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading.


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